Reed-board for organs



(N0 Modl.)

W. N. MUR-DOCK.

REED BOARD FOR ORGANS.

Patented May 4, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

"WILLIAM N. MURDOCK, OF VOODSTOOK, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

REED-BOARD FOR ORGANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,041, dated May 4, 1886.

Application filed March 16, 1885. Serial No. 159,115. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM N. MURnooK, a citizen of the United States, residing at XVoodstock, Grafton county, State of New Hamp shire, have invented a new and useful Iniprovement in Reed-Boards for Reed-0rgans and Harmonicas, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the use of air-tubes in the reed-board communicating with the vents of the reed-cells, so constructed as to admit of the effectual vibration of the air inclosed by the said tubes in sympathy with the reed, so as to modify and also to increase the power of the tone produced by the reeds. The reed-board is made of similar material, and, exceptin the particulars herein specified, is constructed upon established principles now and heretofore in common use. It contains two sets of reeds in front cells under the keyboard, one set being placed over the other, all reeds drawing frontward; also two sets of reeds in cells at back of reed-board, one set placed over the other, all reeds drawing backward. Behind the front cells at a convenient distance are placed the holes for pitinen, all of which is shown in sectional drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specificatlon.

The novel features of this reed-board and my invention consist in the following particulars:

First. Instead of cutting the usual vents under the reed-cells and seating the key-valves upon them, I out slots of the width of such vents about eleven inches long and entirely through the reed-boards, so as to connect the Vents of front and back reed-cells. (A, drawing.)

Second. I cover these slots on the upper side of reed-board between front and back reedtubes with rubber gossamer cloth or other thin, light, air-tight material, held in place by any suitable device or by gluing to reed-board. (B, drawing.)

Third. To the under side of the slotted rcedboard I glue and otherwise securely fasten a valve-plate of thin wood or othersuitable material, so as to cover slotted parts of reedboard air-tight. In this valve-plate (C O 0, drawing) I cut vents to communicate with slots (now become tubes) above, these vents being cut of proper size and form to seat key valves, and directly under the reed-cells, eX- cept only that the main vent under each key or under front reed-cells is extended back a convenient distance under slots or tubes, so as to allow pitmen to fall upon the valves as near their centers of pressure as possible, (D, drawing;) also to secure more readily a draft or current of the air in the tubes toward this main vent D when both main and secondary I) vents are open. (Valves to secondary vents are operated directly by those of main vents, and open but slightly as I use them.)

Fourth. Surplus material in the valveplate is removed between valve-seats, so as to give the sectional form (E, drawing) through the whole length of the valve-plate.

Fifth. By a set of reeds as used herein, I mean two and one-half, three, four, five, five and one-half, or six octaves.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The reed-board described, having four sets of reeds in the relative position shown, and connecting tubes or passages between the tents of front and back reeds, covered on their up per side with thin flexible material, and closed below by a valve-plate, out, as shown, for seating two sets of key-valves.

WILLIAM N. MURDOOK.

\Vitn esses ALVIN BURLEIGH, GEO. H. ADAMS. 

